First Dream Racer in Colorado Arrives at PVMC Today!

Date: 03/04/11

Colorado’s first NASCAR replica and simulator built for pediatric patients will be unveiled Monday, March 7, 1 p.m., at Brighton’s Platte Valley Medical Center (PVMC). The Dream Racer was sponsored by long time community members, Patricia and Glen Murray.

The miniature NASCAR racing replica, with integrated Sony Playstation gaming console, has been typically utilized for its fun factor. In fact, designer and owner of Dream Racers, Mark “Smitty” Smith, originally designed the cars as a way for hospitalized children suffering from terminal diseases to forget about their condition and treatment. PVMC will be taking the car one step further and using it for physical therapy; specifically motor skill and sensory training with patients.

“We see a large number of children with sensory issues and the dream racer will serve a number of purposes to aide in treatment,” explains Christine Buzzell of PVMC’s physical medicine department. “For kids who have difficulty expressing and/or verbalizing, the dream racer can be used to cultivate curiosity and expressiveness in those children. For kids that find it difficult to focus, follow instructions, or control emotions, the dream racer is a great tool for improving attention span and focusing on specific tasks.”

Until now, dream racers have only been purchased for esteemed children’s hospitals such as Levine children’s hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina and Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Florida. Since the first creation, the cars have become popular donations from celebrities like the six-time platinum rock band “3 Doors Down” and five-time NASCAR series champion Jimmie Johnson.

For more information about the Dream Racer Reveal, please contact Platte Valley Medical Center’s public relations department at 303-498-1482. For additional information about the Dream Racer, visit www.childrensdreamracer.com .

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